So, I have seen others use arduino to very close to what I want, but just wanted to make sure I was going down the right path. What I would like to do is control an MP3 player with arduino and house it in an old radio. The idea is that the wheel switch on the radion could turn the mp3 player on and adjust the volume, and then have a series of buttons or other input devices that would access one of 4-5 playlists and start randomly playing those songs. Does this seem feasible? Should I forget it? I am really in the development/planning stage. Any thoughts?
There are voice shields which I suppose might enable you to achieve something of the sort with an Arduino + amplifier + speaker.
If you want to use a separate MP3 player for playback then you'd need to figure out how the Arduino would control the MP3 player. I suppose you might be thinking about hacking into the MP3 player and replace buttons and switches with relays controlled by the Arduino.
Given that what you're describing is essentially just a different type of MP3 player, is there any chance you could find an existing product which does what you need?
Hello Peter, I have looked for an existing product with not much luck.....the idea is to have a 60's style transistor radio body with an MP3 player inside that be controlled from external input decives on the radio. The music would be folders of specific genre's with 60's period music for each one...to give the sense that the radio is playing songs from when it was new. Anyways, the hacking of the mp3 player was something I had assumed would be done given the nature of the project. So, turn on the radio, select a folder, and let random play take its course....I have seen others hack MP3 players with arduino, so I was curious to know if this is possible.... I appreciate you feedback on this.
Hi, There are boards that have an SD card to store MP3s and can be controlled by Arduino. Examples:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arduino-VS1003-SD-Card-Player-Support-MP3-WAV-Midi-/160639650391?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2566de8a57
And this one, with Library:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-SD-MP3-Shield-With-64Mbit-Flash-And-Audio-Amplifier-Arduino-Compatible-/280924908139
And Adafruit has one too I think, as a kit....
brianb:
Hello Peter, I have looked for an existing product with not much luck.....the idea is to have a 60's style transistor radio body with an MP3 player inside that be controlled from external input decives on the radio. The music would be folders of specific genre's with 60's period music for each one...to give the sense that the radio is playing songs from when it was new. Anyways, the hacking of the mp3 player was something I had assumed would be done given the nature of the project. So, turn on the radio, select a folder, and let random play take its course....I have seen others hack MP3 players with arduino, so I was curious to know if this is possible.... I appreciate you feedback on this.
Well, I'm sure it would be possible, although it'll need some work to enable an Arduino to either select a music list of select individual tracks on an MP3 player.
Thinking laterally, have you thought about just using a separate music player per channel and have the buttons just turn on the corresponding player and turn off the others? I know it's a low tech solution, but I suspect it'd be easier to get working.
SPAMCOPS?? SPAMCOPS??
I don't know how to do it, but just wanted to say I like the idea. You would need a bit of distortion though any you would have to tune the radio between stations.
So, I came across ornament/toy today that can do almost essentially what I want, but it would take some tweaking. Apparently Hallmark created a little xmas ornament in the shape of a cathedral radio..you turn it's little dial and you get radio static until you reach one of five or so "stations" that will play 4-8 second commercials or songs....then it turns it's self off. I am going to get one and take it apart and see if it can be changed....fingers crossed.
There are MP3 players that can do what you want.
the rMP3 here
and these MP3 players as well
http://www.mdfly.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=4llb4k256nj8c0u4l72bfhb0s2&keyword=mp3